Great-looking, energy efficient and increasingly cost-effective, LED lighting is quickly becoming the industry standard in retail, including c-stores and filling stations. Some big brands have converted their entire chains to LED lighting in recent years. Others have made major efforts to upgrade as many of their locations as they can. Many independent operators and franchisees have lagged behind that curve, waiting to see if it’s right for their stores or struggling to allocate the capital to make the change to LED lighting. Once an expensive gimmick, LED lighting systems have become a smart investment no operator can afford to overlook.
Instant savings
It’s easy to see why LED lighting is attractive. Literally. Not only can premium LED systems cut lighting costs by over 60%, they also instantly improve the look and customer experience of any store, inside and out. Before they even set foot inside, customers are attracted by well-lit canopies, parking spots and entrance areas, particularly in the darker hours of the late evening and early morning. Potential customers driving or walking by the store are used to seeing an increasing number of LED-lit establishments. This makes less well-lit locations look dingy, less inviting and even less safe. LED lighting can easily be the difference between getting and losing customers.
Increase appeal
Once they’re inside, customers shop with their eyes. The carefully planned and positioned displays and merchandising in a well-operated c-store look even better in superior lighting. Brighter, clearer illumination increases the color and appetite appeal of the products from shelves and rollers to coolers and checkout areas. A well-lit store looks cleaner and feels more modern and welcoming. Better lighting creates a much more positive impression and shopping experience. Younger Millennial and Gen Z shoppers in particular expect to see LED lighting as part of a green, environmentally responsible brand image. It’s well-established that this is an important part of their shopping and buying choices.
Help getting it done
For operators whose stores don’t yet have premium LED lighting, the question is not so much if they should make the switch as it is how they can do it quickly and effectively without overpaying. Surprisingly, the most effective solution can be to implement LED lighting and many additional upgrades across all of an operator’s locations—and the expense can be zero.
More and more operators are opting to contract with Energy Efficiency as a Service (EEaaS) companies, which offer an innovative approach to comprehensive energy management. The most reputable EEaaS companies operate by guaranteeing immediate energy savings as well as performing comprehensive technology upgrades at no cost to their customers. These typically include premium, adjustable interior and exterior LED lighting systems, as well as a robust suite of devices and services tailored to cut energy usage and costs for c-stores: specialized refrigeration and freezer controls, superior HVAC, and 24/7/365 energy use energy control and analytics.
Among the leading providers of EEaaS solutions specialized for c-stores is Budderfly. To learn howBudderfly can provide LED lighting as part of a comprehensive, zero-cost energy efficiency plan for you, visit budderfly.com, and download the Guide to Real Energy Efficiency for Convenience Stores to learn more about EEaaS and discover how to get started.
This post is sponsored by Budderfly